UW-Green Bay presents 'The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee'

The audience will take a trip down memory lane and perhaps on to the stage as the UW-Green Bay theatre program presents The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee later this month.

UW-Green Bay theatre Prof. Laura Riddle, who directs the musical, says it basically recreates the experience of a spelling bee.

“The characters are very recognizable,” Riddle said. “They’re eccentric in their own way but they are recognizable and I think people can really relate to the kind of heartache that kids go through in their adolescence.”

The show was written by William Finn and Rachel Sheinkin and is under the musical direction of UW-Green Bay music Prof. Courtney Sherman.

One unique feature of the musical is audience participation.

“We sign up audience volunteers in the lobby prior to every performance and four of them are selected to go on stage and they act as one of the spellers,” Riddle said. “They’re treated as a middle school kid in a spelling bee.”

Senior Molly LeCaptain is character Rona Lisa Perretti

UW-Green Bay senior Molly LeCaptain, who is a musical theatre major, said the improvisation adds an interesting twist to the show.

“A lot of the lines I say are just either off the top of my head or I have to think of them while I’m sitting on stage,” LeCaptain said. “We can throw some crazy words at them, some of them get really easy words. I think the audience is going to really enjoy watching people who aren’t necessarily actors be on stage with us.”

“Whoever comes and sees it, they’re going to laugh,” said UW-Green Bay junior Matthew Harris, a theatre performance major. “Every single time, there’s something new. It’s a brand new experience because of the audience coming in and the improv. It’s one of those laugh until you cry shows.”

Harris said this is the most “over the top” show done by the theatre program.

Riddle says it is meant for a mature audience.

“Some of the language that is used is a little bit more adult than people might expect,” Riddle said. “It’s about middle-schoolers but it’s really meant for an adult audience. And it’s just a lot of fun.”

Performances will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 18, 19, and 20 and at 2 p.m. on Nov. 20 at the University Theatre in Theatre Hall on the UW-Green Bay campus, 2420 Nicolet Drive.

Tickets for The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee are $22 in advance, $25 at the door for adults; $15 in advance, $18 at the door for seniors; and $15 for UW-Green Bay students. Order online at www.uwgb.edu/tickets/ or by calling (920) 465-2217 or (800) 328-8587.